Potty etiquette tips please!

[Snowbell]

My DD (2.5 yrs)is now using the potty successfully at home, with no accidents now, even at the end of day when tired, and we only started training properly a week ago. Proud!
When we go out she wears pull-ups. I bought some caremats for the carseat but of course she refuses to sit on one! I know that soon I will have to bite the bullet and take her out wearing pants but I am not sure how to manage bringing out the potty in public. You see loads of women breastfeeding in public but I've only once seen a mother bring out a potty in a shopping centre. Am I just being sensitive? What if we are halfway round sainsburys and DD says she wants a wee, do I abandon the trolley and go outside with her and sit her on the potty by the entrance? Advice needed please!

I gave up trailing the potty round town very quickly, it was easier to suss out where the clean, quiet loos were (Gap and H&M) and offer a pre-emptive visit!

As for Sainsbury's the bigger ones all have toilets and I'm sure you could abandon the trolley for 5 mins.

TBH I'm not sure what you would do with a brimming potty in a shopping centre??? It's much easier to just offer when you're in range of a toilet. In the early days i was quite happy to queue barge in a friendly way iff DD was desperate ("Sorry, would you mind if we go in front of you, she's just getting trained.." nobody dared refuse.

Hi snowball - well done to your dd Have similar issue on the horizon. dd (32 months) is training (!) now and - I hope - will be able to ask in good enough time to get to the loo. I'm really nervous about the going out etiquette too , as am overseas where children are seen but not heard at the best of times.

With ds he quickly went from training to toilet so never had to take potty around with me but I always let him know that there was a toilet to hand and planned trips accordingly. Definitely would not whip it all out in Sainsbury's! Rush for the door and nip round the corner if there is no toilet or use a supermarket where there is one. We did use a caremat on seat for long journeys. There is now something called a Piddlepad which have seen advertised in GLTC and such like which she may find more acceptable.

Good luck

There are two sorts of 'piddle pads' that I've seen in catalogues: the shaped one is not machine-washable - fat lot of use that is! Perfectly Happy People and, I think, Blooming Marvelous do a flat one which is washable, and comes in a two-pack - now that is properly thought out. I told ds that it was a special cushion for extra padding now that he wasn't wearing a nappy, just thin briefs.

As for the potty, I carried one around, but never used it. Generally, ds went before leaving the house, and, if we'd been out for more than an hour, or he'd had a drink, I would take him to a toilet. I never asked if he needed, just told him to do a wee. By the time I got relaxed about doing that, he was able to hold on for long enough to find a toilet if he needed.

We kept a potty in the car boot for ages, just forgot about it, which was lucky, because several times we were out in the countryside where there weren't any toilets, and he categorically refused to go 'behind a tree'.

Can I just ask a quick question - just potty training and wanted to know what I sit DS on when we go in the car? can you buy special plastic cushion thingy or is that what these piddle pads are prettycandles?

I've never dragged a potty around with me... I guess I find letting them wee behind bushes less embarassing. That's only because we walk everywhere. Best strategy when shopping, take her when you go into Sainsbury's, and again after you've loaded up the car.

As car journeys -- get them to go before you start, and try to time stops and breaks for a bit earlier then you really think they'll need to go.

Sorry, but weeing in the car, really I couldn't hack that!

yeah probably right zebra, we're going up to see DPs gran and grandad and it's about a 2 hour drive during which ds will probably wee in the car so I wasn't sure best course of action!

just bumping this up.
as we've just started, not sure how often he;ll need to go IFYKWIM

Every hour? They say that you shouldn't try toilet training unless you know your child can go at least one hour. That's one of the few guidelines I believe in.

ah, thanks zebra - I'm sure that's about what he does.

It's probably no good for training coz it's confusing but shortly after training when we've been desperate and no loos anyway (eg half-way round the London eye on one occassion!) we've just produced one of DD2's nappies for DD1 to wee in. The best thing about it - unlike a potty - is you can then put it in a nappy sack and in your bag til you go past a bin!

katierocket, have just trained ds2 and i used a folded up towel under both my boys when toilet training. Also never used a potty. We always do a "going out wee" before getting in the car, or leaving friends houses etc.

thanks for your advice everyone. I'll only go to supermarkets with toilets for a while - that will help. Today we are going to a toddler group that's very close so we can walk. I've decided that she can wear pants and we'll take a potty. Wish me luck! If this goes well, then I'll venture onto bigger trips out with DD wearing pants.

Katierocket: piddle pad

Bother, just tested the link and it doesn't work. You have to enter 'piddle pad' in the search field.